New Nation.

After the American Revolution, Americans began thinking of education in different ways. Traditionally education was meant to train children in various skilled trades, either through apprenticeship or through helping their parents. Many would learn to read and write, but this part of their education would also be done at home. Most children would follow the occupations of their parents, and so it was essential that they learn as their parents had done. The education they received prepared them for lives as farmers, artisans, or tradesmen of other skills.

Formal Education.

Some children had been sent to school or had private tutors instruct them in reading, writing, arithmetic, and other subjects. Children selected for formal education were generally from wealthier families, and the purpose of their education was to qualify them for one of the more advanced professions, either the ministry or the law. To pass the...